After having grown steadily weaker last issue,
Spider-Man tries to examine his own blood to see if he’s losing his spider
powers! However, he finds that his vision has gotten too blurry to properly
see. He then sets out to find Dr. Connors, knowing that he’ll help Spidey
without asking too many questions. Spider-Man shakily makes his way to Dr.
Connors’ lab but finds that he isn’t there and realizes he must have relocated
his family back to Florida! Feeling weaker by the minute, Spidey suddenly
remembers that Gwen’s surprise birthday party is going on right now and he
forgot to get her anything! He swings over to a jewelry store across the street
and pries open the door, finding a pearl necklace that would be perfect to give
Gwen. Just as he’s about to leave, he snaps out of his delirious state and
realizes what he almost did, not wanting to possibly end his Spider-Man career
as a thief. He puts the pearls back and stumbles out, losing his balance and
falling to a nearby roof, realizing that this may truly be the end of
Spider-Man!
Meanwhile, Gwen’s party is in full swing and Gwen
herself frantically worries about where Peter could be! Mary Jane tries to
cheer her up while Captain Stacy asks Harry if he knows where Peter could be.
Gwen decides to try and have fun and just after the party wraps up, Peter
suddenly arrives at the door, Spider-Man mask in hand! Still half delirious,
Peter tells everyone that Spider-Man is finished, which he knows because he’s
Spider-Man! Gwen is absolutely shocked while Captain Stacy can tell
something is wrong. Peter realizes how much he hurt Gwen and stumbles off, head
spinning more than ever! Harry recalls hearing about the time that Peter was
unmasked while fighting Doc Ock (from ASM #12) and it was written off as a
stunt. They wonder about the possibility that it was always real, and that
Peter really is Spider-Man!
Meanwhile, Peter stumbles around and worries that
things may be even worse than he feared. Deciding he needs to bite the bullet
and see a doctor, he changes to Spider-Man, ironically realizing he’ll be more
believable dressed like that and stumbles into a hospital. He’s examined by a
doctor, who Spidey is pleased to note doesn’t unmask him. Later, Spidey gets
the results…he’s got the flu! Relieved that it’s something so minor, Spidey
starts to feel better in no time before he remembers what he did in his delirious
state! Peter comes up with an idea and dons a web mask to frantically look for
Hobie Brown. He soon finds Hobie washing windows on the side of a building and
asks him to wear his Spider-Man costume at a certain place and time as a favor.
Later, Peter makes his way to the Stacy residence in order to explain things.
Just after, Hobie in Spidey’s suit comes in and claims that Peter still owes
him money for the pictures he’s taken, seemingly proving to everyone there that
Peter isn’t Spider-Man! Peter and Gwen make up and everything seems
okay. Peter heads home to get some rest, unable to shake the feeling that
things may yet still go awry!